Career Coach Office Hours: March 8 2022 | JobSearchTV.com
I answered questions about #jobsearch #hiringstaff #management #leadership & #workplace issues or anything work for that matter, join me at 1 PM Eastern and put your question into chat. You can also email questions to TheBigGameHunter(at) gmail.com and put the phrase “Office Hours” into the subject line and I will answer it on my next show. #careercoachofficehours #careercoaching #careercoach #jobsearchtips #jobsearchadvice #interviews #hiring #managingpeople #leadershipskills #linkedinlive #linkedinlivestreams
During an Interview, How Can You Tell an Applicant is Bullsh*tting?
Hi, it’s Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter, and welcome to Career Coach Office Hours for March 8 2022. WooHoo!
I spend time twice weekly at 1pm. Eastern, Tuesdays and Fridays 1pm. Eastern, where I answer questions from people about job search, hiring more effectively, management, leadership, and help with dealing with workplace issues. So if you have a question in advance of the show, I want to ask you to send it to me at TheBigGameHunter@gmail.com. And in the subject line, put the phrase “Office Hours” so this way I know what it’s about & I can organize the questions as I have with this week’s show.
During the show, of course, feel free to put your questions in the chat. I’d be very happy to answer them. And I do this for about 30, 35 minutes on each show. So I’ll just simply say, I hope to have a chance to help you.
I start off with a coffee toast and today, I actually have some coffee with me. So Whoo. So first of all, International Women’s Day. An acknowledgment to the women who are working professionally, the women who are working at home, to women everywhere for your contribution to humanity. Thank you. I really appreciate it. I’m sure your wife, husband, partner, that people important to you in your life, also acknowledge it as well.
And prayers, that wisdom show up in Eastern Europe, that cooler minds prevail, and the murder stop. Okay,
What’s Your Best Tip for Job Interviews?
So let’s go with some of the questions I’ve received. And I’ll just simply remind you, you can put your questions in the chat. And, I also have a lot of great information on my website, The Big Game Hunter got us. There, you can schedule time for free discovery call a coaching session, visit my blog with more than 12,000 searchable posts, find out about my courses. Also, I’m going to remind you, JobSearchTV.com on YouTube and on Amazon–1000s of videos to help you. Also my podcast, No BS Job Search Advice Radio is number one in Apple podcasts for job search. 2300+ episodes as of today. So it’s a great resource. Comes out five days a week. Hope you enjoy it, please subscribe, please share it with others. If you do and you like it, it does help other people. Now with that, let’s go to the first question for today.
And that is, excuse me, I have to scroll here. Are recommendations in your LinkedIn profile valuable to help recruiters notice your profile?
The key phrase is “notice your profile.” The way most recruiters search LinkedIn is they’ve purchased a product called LinkedIn Recruiter that lets them search the entire database to find people with particular skill sets and particular backgrounds. It is searchable based upon many different criteria. But generally they’re going to start off with skills, keywords, terms that reflect the job requirement that they have, and that they’re trying to fill. So “notice it?” No, because they’re going to find you based upon your work. Now once they found it. recommendations can be a factor in how they see you. After all, when they’re looking at multiple people. A person with two recommendations is going to be viewed differently than 20 or 200, or 2000. Same things with endorsements. I’m someone who’s got a few 1000 endorsements for the work I’ve done over my career. And I know people have told me that they’re kind of astonished by all the endorsements I have and it’s affects how they see me in a good way. So to be noticed, to be contacted, no. But once they have gotten to you. Yes, that makes sense. I’m sure it does.
What are some universal tips that can make me a better interviewer to an important person?
Best Leadership articles featured on Tealfeed in 2021
Interesting use of phrasing– “to an important person.” So what I’m guessing is you’re screening against the job requirement on behalf of some individual and you want to do a better job. So, first of all, it starts off with understanding what they’re looking for and how they’re going to evaluate for it. You can ask them. Walk me through what you want to see in the way of a background.”
That’s the way any recruiter would do it. In fact, your function is a recruiter. “What do you want to see in the way of a background from someone and how do you want me to evaluate for,” becomes the follow-up? “What sort of questions do you want me to ask them to get a flavor for whether this person can do the job that you want me to screen them for?”
Then from there, you can ask, You know, most candidates are on good behavior. They put on a happy smile button face, and they present themselves very well. I know, very few employers do anything other than present themselves and the opportunity well,”but let’s focus on them. Given the fact that they are going to be on good behavior, how can I try and scare them off? What’s the worst kind of things you want me to tell them about the role that might cause people to back away? Who couldn’t stomach being in this position?”
Notice what we’re doing is we’re trying to give them best information since this way they disqualify themselves from consideration. It’s a beautiful way. I know, when I worked in recruiting, I started off by telling people about the job that was involved, the good, the bad, the ugly, and said, “Have I scared you off yet?” they’ll say no. Or they’ll say, “Yeah, I don’t really care for that.”
“Terrific, I’ve saved us both some time. It’s not my job to try and persuade you to do something you don’t want to do. Same thing for you. You want to be able to ask this person about the negatives of the role. So it can be put on the table for the individual. Because one statistic or the two statistics that are linked to one another– Within 18 months of most managers hiring someone, I think the number is 60% of new managers or hiring managers have buyer’s remorse about a person that they’ve hired. 60%!
How Far Back Should My Resume Go?
Job hunters have that too. And I think it’s within six months. 30% regret having made the decision to join. I haven’t seen the follow up statistic past six months, but almost a third regret the decision they made to joint. It may contribute to why employee engagement is so low. After all, the US has the highest employee engagement statistics in the world. 32% are engaged.
That means the remaining 68% are just disinterested, or are actively undermining your organization. What you want to be doing is finding people who gave a darn and scaring off the ones who will be a problem person before they become a problem person. Makes a lot of sense to me.
What do you do when you’ve been told that you didn’t get a job offer after an interview and never called back? I already covered that question last time;my apologies.
My company pays for a LinkedIn Recruiter seat for me. Can they see what searches I’ve made when using the feature? Is the company provided with metrics of my usage by LinkedIn? Yes, they can see the searches that you’re doing. No question about it. And as such, if you’re not using the product, are you using it for personal reasons to find a job for yourself? I can spot that. If you’re using it to help a friend out and that friend is paying you for it, they can see what you’re doing. Absolutely. And especially if they’re sending in inMails, they can see. So here’s the reality to it. If you’re not willing to use a product to fill jobs like LinkedIn Recruiter can help you do, what are you doing in recruiting? Seriously, what are you doing? Get another job? It’s okay. Don’t try and linger and procrastinate your way just to collect a check. Find something else cause your company will find out, they’ll confront you with it. You’ll get fired. So do your job or get out.
3 Ways Recruiters Can Help You Prepare for Video Interviews
I’m just gotta remind you folks, that if you’ve got a question for me, put it into chat, and be anything about job search, hiring more effectively, management leadership, or advice on a particular workplace issue, okay. And also to visit my website, because I have a lot of great information there. books and courses guides, the ability to schedule time with me. And I’m just reminding you to subscribe the job search TV comm on YouTube. It’s also available on Apple and Amazon. So if you’ve got a fire TV or fire stick, you can watch me there as well. Okay. So with that, let’s go on to the next question. Unless someone has a question for me. Sorry, just have to get back here. Shall I apply for a job that was posted three months ago? On LinkedIn? I think I answered this, but I’m not absolutely sure. So I’m going to work. Let me just answer it. Probably not. I messaged the individual person, the recruiter, whoever the contact person is. And just as this job has been up for three months, is it still available? Just send them a quick message along those lines? I don’t want to waste my time applying for something that was forgotten to be taken down. If they say yes, it’s still open. Why after three months, is it still available? He couldn’t find anyone. And listen to them their response? The fact is 90 days 1000s of resumes, I’m sure. And they couldn’t hire someone. There’s something wrong here. They may say, Oh, this is a job we have open regularly because we have 20 people doing this kind of work. And invariably, people change jobs. So yes, we do have positions open. That’s why it’s, it’s still here three months later.
Why did or didn’t you stop using a networking platform like LinkedIn, after finding a job. The reason why people stop using it is they don’t understand that it’s a networking platform. It’s a way to connect with people, and stay connected with people. And it helps to foster your career. And thus, because people get immersed in their work, they dropped the ball, and dropping the ball and make the classic mistake of thinking that they’re only supposed to network when they’re looking for a job. That’s not the way you’re supposed to do it. You’re supposed to be networking all the time, what you’re supposed to be doing is doing things that really promote you, and connect with you and let people know about you and your successes. So that’s the fact. And that’s why people stop using it. Why they continue to use it is because they understand it helps them become recognized as an expert. They brand themselves, they stand out from others, just by having the connection with people and sharing their successes, and putting things in place in front of people. So they get the know, like trust and respect them. And thus, excuse me, they stand out from others through their connection. Now, I’ll just say it’s important to you to not abuse your network, what serves you and serves other people if they stay connected with you, because you can help them and they can help you. So you stay involved with LinkedIn so that they follow your career and you follow their and you provide advice to people. You drop a quick note into chat that says hi, how are you? Obviously you can text them off the platform. But again, it’s just another place where you can stay connected with folks. So that this way, as opportunities materialize you become top of mind. Why do you want that to happen? Because the person who gets ahead isn’t always the smartest, they know who’s worked the hardest. Those are great qualities to have. But people get ahead by being alert opportunities. Sometimes they’re internal to an organization, most of the time they’re external. So just stay connected with people and will serve you much better than doing it. When you’re lurching from Job Search to job search. and trying to reconnect with people there.
7 Things to Do When Your Job Search Calendar is Empty
What’s the best way to answer the question, describe a time you demonstrated a leadership skill. It’s not for a job interview is the way it was presented to me. And the way I would do this is by starting off by asking, What are you trying to find out? I want to give you an answer that really reflects what it is you’re trying to find out about me. But you go into more specifics. Otherwise, all that’s happening is you’re guessing. And you may tell a story that isn’t relevant. When you have a story that is, so get clarity first, then once you have the clarity, put yourself in the position where they get a flavor of your successes, follow the framework of situation obstacles, action result. And talk about your successes in leadership. And make sure the story lasts about a minute in length, and then follow up by saying, I can go into more detail if you like, if there’s something in particular you’re looking for. Again, you’re looking for them to give you a sense of how you can clarify and extrapolate on what you’ve told them. So they’re telling you what they’re really trying to find out from you.
What advice do you have for someone who’s trying to get back into a career field they have experience and knowledge about, but it was in a city they left over a decade ago?So the first question is, have you stayed up to speed? Are you somewhat current with your expertise? No? It’s probably going to be valueless. Because you were making more money than you’re probably worth today. Take courses first; get yourself current. And then from there, start networking with people in the new city. Tell them “I did work along these lines previously. I’m trying to get back in. I’ve moved here. I don’t really have an active network. Help me.” How can I demonstrate expertise to you and thus, have you feel comfortable recommending me.” You have to build a network because your resume is not going to impress people. And you know that? That’s why you’re asking this question.
When You’ve Been Made Redundunt, Fired, Laid Off, RIF’d
What is the best cover letter received from a job applicant? Easy. One that illustrates in a different way, how your background fits the role I was recruiting for. So what kind of a cover letter would that be? One that talks about how long and how recently, you performed the functionality or used the skills that are required of the hiring manager.
So let’s say you see the job description lists 10 different things. Flush left you list the skill or the functionality you’d be for performing. Flush right, how long and how recently. This way it piques my curiosity about the resume. The resume should be consistent with what you’ve said in the cover letter. Or maybe in the cover email because this sounds like you’re emailing something to someone rather than uploading it to a system.
You want this to be the body of the email, so that this way, it shows how you fit the role they’re trying to fill, and thus makes them interested in wanting to talk.
Let’s go next question. How do I structure interview preparation? Well, I talk about this from time to time. One of my courses is called The Ultimate Job Interview Framework. Now, it is probably a $15 course on Udemy. So I don’t make it available expensively. But order that course at TheBigGameHunter.us/interviews, or buy the book on Amazon. Again, that’s The Ultimate Job Interview Framework. It will teach you how to interview better than your competition. .
Now I can’t help you be better at what you do. But it’s going to teach you how to interview. It’s 45, 50 minutes. I can’t go through everything in one of the sessions. So order the course. it’s inexpensive. Practice. And you’ll do much, much better than without.
Why do some hiring managers give candidates take home as the last round of the interview? What’s the goal behind that? The theory is, it represents work that a person might do on the job and thus, they’re able to demonstrate that and not just simply ask questions. So for example, a programmer might be given the assignment to program something. A QA person might be given an opportunity to test something. Follow? So it’s an illustration of your work. And thus, they can see the reality of your capabilities, and not just simply, you know, something from 30,000 feet that comes in the course of an interview. Now, I hate these things to be honest with you, because sometimes you can tell the what they’re doing is trying to get free consulting.
So I politely encourage my coaching clients to say, I don’t do free consulting. So this kind of looks like free consulting work for me. I appreciate that you think I’m qualified to do this, but I think I’ve answered enough questions to demonstrate my capabilities. All this is going to do is take up hours of my time, take me away from my family, and my actual job. I’m also going to school (if that’s true). I’m not sure when I can do this. But I’ll tell you, I don’t like the idea of doing this. What else do you need to know for me that’s going to allow you to feel comfortable with hiring me,” and then be quiet and listen to them.
And they’re going to probably say, “If you’re not willing to do this, we’re not interested in hiring you.”
“That’s okay,” because, trust me, this same manager is going to try and push you to work, more hours than is reasonable. Don’t fall prey to it. Don’t comply. Let’s teach them a lesson and stop this stupid behavior on their part.
Is it okay to ask the interviewer to ask them to tell you about themselves in case they haven’t mentioned anything? Like their name or position of the company during the interview?
I find it hard to imagine that they haven’t mentioned their name. But let’s just work with what’s here. When they scheduled the interview with you, like they told you who to ask for, right? As for their position at the company and what they do. You did look them up on LinkedIn, didn’t you? So what are you really hoping to get here by asking this question? That’s the real question. What are you hoping to find out that’s going to allow you to feel comfortable with saying yes or no to an offer if they make one? This. question isn’t going to do anything for you. All it’s going to do. . . well, what it may do is antagonize someone, because they could have found that on LinkedIn. Why didn’t you look at LinkedIn. It should be part of your preparation. But you didn’t do that, did you? So don’t ask this question. It doesn’t show well.
Why Does Branding Make a Difference to You?
As of now this is the last question I have. Let me just take a quick peek. Is there any solution to overcome the new LinkedIn weekly invitation limits? Or the monthly limit? There’s no way around it because frankly, they want to get you to pay for the service. And rightly so. Their business, they’re trying to make money. They’re letting you contact a certain number of people per week. Pay for more. It’s not expensive. So just pay for the additional service and stop being a cheapskate and no, I no, except in mutual funds. I do not own Microsoft stock.
[svp]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-RJTr4Elcc[/svp]
ABOUT JEFF ALTMAN, THE BIG GAME HUNTER
Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter is a coach who worked as a recruiter for what seems like one hundred years. His work involves career coaching, as well as executive job search coaching, job coaching, and interview coaching. He is the host of “No BS Job Search Advice Radio,” the #1 podcast in iTunes for job search with more than 2100 episodes.
Are you interested in 1:1 coaching, interview coaching, advice about networking more effectively, how to negotiate your offer or leadership coaching? Schedule a discovery call at my website, www.TheBigGameHunter.us
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We grant permission for this post and others to be used on your website as long as a backlink is included and notice is provided that it is provided by Jeff Altman, The Big Game Hunter as an author or creator.
